Question: Some social activists and intellectuals have written to the CPI(M) to take steps to forge the unity of all secular and democratic forces in Uttar Pradesh to fight the BJP in the forthcoming assembly elections. They have also appealed to small parties not to put up candidates which can divide the anti-BJP vote. What is the Party’s response to this appeal?
--Rakesh Singh, Delhi


Answer: The outcome of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, which is the biggest state in the country, is naturally of political importance. The BJP is exerting all its efforts to win the UP assembly elections as this will give it a big boost. It will also embolden the Hindutva forces to further pursue their communal agenda.

Having said this, the appeal, though well intentioned, is not grounded in the reality of Uttar Pradesh politics. The proposal would involve bringing together two major regional parties, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, to fight the elections. This is wishful thinking given their history of bitter conflict and their divergent social and caste base. It would be like expecting the DMK and the AIADMK in Tamilnadu to fight elections together. Nor is it possible for the Samajwadi Party and parties like the JD(U) to come together as seen by the Bihar experience. The Congress party has declined to become a minor force in the state. To therefore expect all these forces to unite in a coalition is unrealistic.

As for the Left parties, though a weak force in UP, the only course of action is to unitedly fight the elections. Apart from the Left parties, if there are any democratic forces who can be rallied with the Left, that can be done.

The Left can play a role in defeating the BJP by its own independent campaign. The Left alone has a consistent political and ideological stand against the Hindutva forces, which should help the overall struggle to mobilise the people to isolate and defeat the BJP.